And the house was built many years ago by a king of Israel who was great and strong: The house is the Temple. The king of Israel who was great and strong refers to Solomon. The Jewish leaders do not name him since he would have been unknown to the Persians.

And it was finished means the Temple was completed. Good News Bible and Contemporary English Version interpret this clause to refer to the equipping of the Temple with all the sacred objects used in worship. This sense is quite possible. We do not adopt it in the following model of this verse, but translators who wish may certainly do so:

• A great and powerful king of Israel who lived many years ago built and completed a Temple on this spot [or, right here].

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

And they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days: The feast of unleavened bread was a week-long festival following Passover (see Exo 12.15-20; Lev 23.6-7; Num 28.17-25; Deut 16.8; see also the comments on 1 Esd 1.19). The people were to stay in a condition of purity for another seven days after the Passover. This was symbolized by eating unleavened bread (see the comments on 1 Esd 1.10-11). Leaven or yeast was a sign of impurity because food with leaven spoils. Unleavened bread was used during the Passover and this particular festival.

Rejoicing before the Lord: The Festival of Unleavened Bread was always a joyful occasion, but observance of this one was especially so, for the reason given in the next verse. Rejoicing before the Lord implies rejoicing in the Lord’s presence. This clause may be expressed in terms of worshiping or honoring God.

An alternative model for this verse that ties in closely with the next verse is:

• They also observed [or, celebrated] the seven-day Festival [or, Fiesta] of Unleavened Bread, happy as they worshiped the Lord….

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

And of the temple servants, whom David and the leaders had given for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty temple servants: For temple servants, see the comments on 1 Esd 5.29-32. David and the leaders refers to King David and his officials. We do not know what Ezra had in mind with this reference to David, unless it is 1 Chr 16.37-42, where David provides for regular worship procedures. However, no Temple servants are mentioned there.

The list of all their names was reported: The Greek verb translated was reported often refers to official actions. So this clause probably says there was an official, formal list of the names of these 220 Temple servants. The Greek noun translated list of … names also suggests this. The parallel passage of Ezra 8.20 simply says they were listed by name, but the Greek text here implies a little more.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• There were also 220 Temple workmen, whose ancestors had been designated by King David and his officials to assist the Levites. An official list was made of their names.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

All these had married foreign women, and they put them away with their children: The demonstrative pronoun these refers to the Jewish men listed in verses 18-35. An alternative model for this verse is:

• All these men had married women who were not Jews, and they sent them away, along with their children.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Thus says the Lord Almighty: See the comments on verses 12 and 15.

When you were in the wilderness, at the bitter stream, thirsty and blaspheming my name: See Exo 15.22-25 for this incident recalled in verses 22-23. The bitter stream may be rendered “that stream full of bitter water.” The word bitter describes the unpleasant taste of the water in a general sense. It was possibly caustic, with a sharp, biting taste, but was not necessarily sour as opposed to “sweet” in verse 23. Most languages will have an expression to describe liquid or food that has an unpleasant or bitter taste. Blaspheming my name may be translated “cursing me” or “saying evil things about me.”

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• “ ‘The Lord Almighty [also] says, “When you were at that stream of bitter water in the wilderness, you were so thirsty that you were cursing me.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

And I will raise up the dead from their places, and will bring them out from their tombs is a clear reference to resurrection. These two clauses have the same meaning, since their places is obviously their tombs. Good News Bible combines these clauses, which is acceptable. However, Contemporary English Version keeps both clauses as follows: “I, the Lord, will bring those who have died back to life and free them from their tombs.”

Because I recognize my name in them means the Lord recognizes that these are the corpses of people who worshiped him when they were alive. Good News Bible uses nonfigurative language here, saying “because I recognize them as my people.” Contemporary English Version says simply “because they are still my people.”

Good News Bible provides a reliable model for this verse.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

My spirit was greatly agitated: My spirit refers to refers to Ezra’s thoughts, what was going on in his brain. So we may render this clause as “I was very bothered by my thoughts” (similarly Contemporary English Version). Good News Bible has “I was deeply disturbed.”

And I began to speak anxious words to the Most High: The Latin word for Most High is the usual term the author uses to refer to God. It occurs 68 times in chapters 3–14 (never in chapters 1–2 or 15–16). It refers to God’s supreme majesty, not to his actually being tall or big, and will be translated in some languages as “God who is above everything” or “God who is supremely powerful” (see the comments on 1 Esd 2.3). Good News Bible translates it “God Most High,” which is a good model. However, translators should note how they have translated this term in other books. For this whole clause Good News Bible has “and began to express my fears to God Most High.” We may also say “and I began to tell God Most High what I was afraid of.”

And said: This quote frame begins verse 4 in the Latin text (so also Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version). The generic verb said may be rendered “prayed” (Contemporary English Version) since it introduces a prayer.

Good News Bible provides an excellent model for this verse.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.